Photo by Sarah Agnew on Unsplash
Most people accept the first salary number they’re offered. Not because it’s a good number, but because negotiating feels awkward, risky, or like something other people do — people who are more confident, more senior, or just better with words.
Here’s the thing: employers expect you to negotiate. Most job offers have room built in. A recruiter or hiring manager rarely opens with their absolute ceiling, because they’re expecting some back-and-forth. When you accept the first offer without question, you’re not being easy to work with — you’re leaving money on the table that was already budgeted for someone to ask for.
This article covers what to actually say, when to say it, and how to handle the awkward moments — whether you’re negotiating a new job offer or asking for a pay rise in your current role.
Why most people don’t negotiate (and why that’s costing them)
The most common reason people don’t negotiate is fear — fear of seeming greedy, fear the offer will be withdrawn, fear of an awkward conversation. All three are understandable. None of them match how this usually plays out in reality.
Offers get withdrawn over salary negotiation extremely rarely. A reasonable, well-framed counter-offer signals that you know your worth — which is generally seen as a positive, not a red flag. Companies lose far more by losing a good candidate over a modest salary gap than by paying slightly more.
The bigger cost is compounding. A £3,000 difference in your starting salary doesn’t just cost you £3,000 this year. Future pay rises, bonuses, and even pension contributions (many workplace pensions match a percentage of salary) are often calculated as a percentage of your current pay. That gap can follow you through several jobs and several years.
Do your research before you say a number
Walking into a negotiation without knowing the market rate for your role is like haggling blindfolded. Before any conversation, find out roughly what the role should pay.
Useful sources include:
- Job listings for similar roles at similar companies (not just the one you’re applying to)
- Salary data on sites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, or Payscale — treat these as a rough guide, not gospel
- Industry-specific recruiters, who often know current rates better than anyone
- Colleagues or former colleagues in similar roles, if you’re comfortable asking
You’re looking for a range, not a single figure. Knowing that similar roles typically pay £38,000–£45,000 gives you something concrete to anchor a conversation to, rather than guessing.
When to negotiate — job offers vs. existing roles
These are two different conversations with different leverage, and it helps to treat them that way.
Negotiating a job offer gives you the most leverage you’ll ever have for that role. The company has already decided they want you. They’ve invested time in interviews. Replacing a candidate at this stage is expensive and slow for them. This is the moment to push.
Negotiating a pay rise in your current job is a different dynamic. You’re not asking “will you hire me” — you’re asking “will you pay me more to keep doing what I already do, or to take on more.” This usually needs more groundwork: evidence of your contribution, timing around performance reviews or pay review cycles, and a clear sense of what you’re actually asking for.
| Situation | Leverage level | Best approach |
|---|---|---|
| New job offer | High | Counter promptly, ask for specifics, get it in writing |
| Internal promotion | Medium-high | Negotiate before accepting the new role, not after |
| Annual pay review | Medium | Bring evidence of impact, tie to market rate |
| Ad-hoc pay rise request | Lower | Build a case over weeks, pick the right moment |
| During probation | Low | Usually best to wait until probation ends |
What to actually say
This is the part people get stuck on. You don’t need a script that sounds like a negotiation seminar — you need something that sounds like you.
When you get a job offer and want to counter:
“Thank you for the offer — I’m genuinely excited about the role. Based on my research into similar positions and the experience I’d be bringing, I was hoping we could discuss a salary closer to £X. Is there flexibility there?”
When asking for a pay rise:
“I’d like to talk about my salary. Over the past [period], I’ve [specific contribution — delivered X, taken on Y responsibility, saved the team Z]. Based on that and what similar roles pay elsewhere, I think a salary of £X would be fair. Can we discuss this?”
Notice what both scripts do: they state a number, give a reason, and ask a direct question. Vague requests (“I was wondering if there might be any room to move”) are easy to deflect. Specific requests force a specific answer.
A common misconception: it’s all about the base salary number
Many people treat salary negotiation as a single number to haggle over. In practice, total compensation has several moving parts, and some are easier for an employer to move than base pay — especially if there’s a fixed pay band they genuinely can’t exceed.
Things worth asking about alongside (or instead of) base salary:
- Sign-on bonus — a one-off payment that doesn’t affect ongoing salary budgets in the same way
- Pension contributions — some employers can increase their matching percentage even when base salary is fixed
- Annual leave — extra days cost the company less than extra salary
- Job title — matters more than people think for future job searches and salary benchmarking
- Flexible or remote working — increasingly negotiable and valuable
- Review timeline — asking for an early pay review (e.g. at 6 months instead of 12) if they can’t move now
If HR says the base salary genuinely can’t move, that’s not necessarily the end of the conversation. Ask what else is on the table.
How to handle pushback without losing the offer
The most nerve-wracking part is the silence after you ask. Resist the urge to fill it by immediately backing down. A pause doesn’t mean rejection — it often just means someone’s thinking or needs to check with someone else.
If they say no outright, ask why — genuinely, not confrontationally. “I understand — is that a fixed band, or is there any flexibility depending on experience?” This gives you useful information and keeps the door open.
If they come back with a smaller increase than you asked for, you can accept it, counter once more, or ask for a non-salary concession instead (extra leave, an earlier review date). You don’t need to negotiate forever — one or two rounds is normal; five is exhausting for everyone.
Know your walk-away point before the conversation starts. If the final number genuinely doesn’t work for you, it’s fine to say so honestly rather than accepting something you’ll resent within three months.
Getting it in writing
Once you’ve agreed a number — verbally, over the phone, in an interview — get it confirmed in writing before you resign from your current job or sign anything. Verbal agreements can get lost, misremembered, or quietly revised. A short email saying “Just to confirm what we discussed — a salary of £X starting [date], plus [any other agreed terms]” is enough to protect you.
The bottom line
- Do your homework before any conversation. A rough market range is your best negotiating tool — without it, you’re guessing.
- New job offers are your highest-leverage moment. Negotiate before you accept, not after you start.
- Use a specific number and a specific reason, not a vague request for “more if possible.”
- If base salary won’t move, ask about the rest of the package — pension contributions, leave, title, and review timing are all genuinely negotiable.
- Get any agreement in writing before you hand in notice anywhere else. A verbal yes isn’t a contract.
The worst outcome of asking is usually “no” — and most people find that far less uncomfortable than they expected, especially once they realise it happens more often than it doesn’t.
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